Thanos and Monika Chat While Watching a Sunset
by UglyTurnip
Summary: Two tragic villains share their stories underneath an oak tree. Through their chat, they find hope.


Under a single tree in a vast, endless field, Monika sat alone, gazing at a beautiful sunset. She had done so for hours, as the passage of celestial time in what remained of her world had come to a complete standstill.

There was no need for time anymore. There was nothing left except for this field, the tree, and Monika. She was alone for the rest of eternity, and she deserved no less of a punishment. Her mind wandered to what could have been, to what awesome, endearing, and wholesome memories could have been forged had she never surrendered to the dread of nihilism. It all seemed so wonderful, but it was now forever out of reach. At least she had the sunset, its beautiful colors painting the sky in an array of golds and oranges. It was a tragic beauty that was, in many ways, just like her.

However, she was not quite as alone as she believed herself to be. Unbeknownst to her, a figure lurked in the distance, transported to this tiny world due to his sensing of a great sorrow. He made his way to the tree silently, moving surprisingly gracefully for someone of his size, until he stood just a few feet behind her.

"Hey," he spoke, breaking the long silence. Monika nearly jumped, though there was a peculiar tranquility in how the word was said. She turned around, locking her eyes with a tall and bulky stranger. His skin was the color of purple, and his chin appeared to be almost wavy in its texture. She had never encountered a creature such as this before, and perhaps she should have felt more apprehensive. In spite of this, however, she was almost comforted by his presence, as he admitted a fatherly, caring aura.

"Hello," she greeted.

"Do you mind if I sit down for a moment?" the visitor asked politely. "I just need to rest for a while, if that's OK."

Monika shrugged. "Sure, I guess."

"I'm Thanos, by the way," said the hulking purple man. "Just Thanos."

"Monika," she replied with an idle nod. "Nice to meet you."

There was an awkward silence as neither knew what to say. Thanos found a comfortable spot on the ground as he began to watch the sunset with her. Monika noticed the signs of struggle in Thanos's face, as if he was searching for something. She briefly wondered if her own expression was somewhat similar.

"So," Thanos began. "You're in great moral distress too, I presume."

Was it a question, or a mere statement? Monika was not certain. Nevertheless, she nodded. "Yeah, I've. . . I've done something, alright."

"Me too," Thanos admitted. "What'd you do, if you don't mind my prodding?"

Monika didn't mind at all. In fact, maybe it would do her some good to get her concerns off of her chest. She just hoped the kindly stranger would understand her motivations.

"I killed my friends," Monika admitted bluntly. "I did it because I thought they weren't real, and they were little more than obstacles in my quest for a love I could never acquire."

Not that she deserved love, anyway. She had done too much.

"I'm such an idiot," Monika declared as she buried her hands in her face. Shame and guilt overwhelmed her.

Her mind was once more overwhelmed with that horrific image of Sayori's corpse hanging from the ceiling, her lifeless eyes gazing aimlessly at the ground. Monika shook her head rapidly in an attempt to rid herself of that damned image. Alas, while she succeeded, she only felt more guilty.

Not sure of what else to say, Monika glanced over at her larger companion. He was far too deep in thought to really notice her gaze. Indeed, his attention was focused on two things: the orange glow of the sunset sky, and his own regrets. He thought of Gamora, the things he did to her. At the time, he truly believed he was doing what was best for her, but now that she was gone, the doubt was free to fester. He realized that she never truly loved him, nor did she even like him. It wasn't like she didn't have valid reason; he had abused her, treated her in a way that no father should treat a daughter, and he longed to apologize for it.

 _What a fool I was._

He gazed down at his infinity gauntlet, noticing how the sunshine reflected brilliantly upon the article. He _could_ , in theory, bring it all back. However, he would doom the whole universe if he allowed his Avengers adversaries to win. No, he did the right thing. He saved the universe. That universe may remember him as a harbinger of unimaginable quantities of death, but he took comfort in the fact that the alternative would be far worse.

"Hey, Monika?" Thanos finally spoke, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?"

"I'm. . . I'm sorry about your loss, but I want you to know that you are not alone. I know your pain, and I know your regret. I've made my own sacrifices, too. Did you know that?"

Monika turned her head back to the sun. "No, I didn't," she muttered with just enough volume in her voice for Thanos to hear.

"Well, I did. I believed that the only way to save life from itself was to half it. I believed I was doing the universe a favor, that I was averting total calamity," he sighed. "Now, I'm not so sure anymore."

"What do you mean?"

Thanos hesitated. "The doubt festers. I don't feel like the hero I thought I was. I feel. . . Evil," Thanos whispered. A tear rolled down his face as he remembered that Gamora, his sweet little Gamora, died for his cause. He had never treated her as the father he wanted to be. She had been nothing more than a tool to him, as was the case with all of his children. And for what? To save the universe through death and bloodshed? He wondered if there was another, safer, and more efficient way to prevent resource shortages with the Infinity Gauntlet, but his mind, grief-stricken, came up with nothing.

"I've done more harm than good," Thanos finally admitted. It was a hard truth to admit, but Stark was right. "I guess we both have, haven't we?"

Monika chuckled bitterly. "I guess so. World-ruiners stick together, don't we? At least your intentions were altruistic; I only cared to have him all to myself."

Thanos wiped away the tears forming in his eyes. He steeled his nerves, but as much as he tried to convince himself of his own righteousness, the sad realization had taken root. "I can only imagine how that feels to be alone as you have. At least I had people willing to follow me, even if only by fear."

Monika smiled. "I brought it upon myself. The more I think about it, the more I realize that the other girls were just as capable of free thought as I am, it's just that I alone had the blindfold removed. We could have built something more for ourselves, had a real world to experience together, but I squandered it all for a twisted sensation that I had mistaken for 'love'."

The words had barely left her throat when Monika began to cry softly. Unlike Thanos, she was unable to hold back her tears. Instead, she whimpered gently into the sleeve of her blazer. She hugged her knees, rocking gently back and forth.

Thanos gently put an arm around her, like a caring father would to a distressed daughter, and tried to think of something truly comforting. It was a shame that he was pretty bad at the 'caring dad' thing, but one can hardly fault him for making a legitimate effort. All the same, it seemed to have a profound effect on Monika. She sank into his embrace, and the two conflicted souls shared a hug underneath the sunset field. For a long period of time, neither said nothing, but that was OK. The release alone was enough for the both of them.

At last, once the tidal wave of emotion subsided, she let go gently, then leaned back against the tree.

"T-thank you," she sniffled. "Just for letting me have that, I mean. I didn't realize how long I was holding it in."

Thanos smiled ever so slightly. "It's OK. Are you feeling better?"

"About what I did?" Monika inquired. "No, not at all. But I am happy to know that I'm not alone as I thought I was."

"As am I," Thanos grinned. Then, his mind flickered with the flame of an idea. "You know, perhaps there is a way I can truly help you."

Monika sat up straight. "What do you mean?"

Thanos gestured to his infinity gauntlet. "I could restore the files for you: The world, your friends, everything. Then, you could get the second chance you've always dreamed of."

Monika's eyes widened as her lips culred toward a hopeful smile. "Really? You can do something like that?"

Thanos nodded. "The Infinity Gauntlet can do a great many things; this alone would be easy. So what do you say, Monika? Can you let yourself have another chance at everything? Can you let me have an opportunity to make amends for all the bloodshed I caused?"

Monika glomped him with the tighest of hugs. "Yes! Yes! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

For the first time in a long time, Thanos laughed with pure joy. This was what it was like to truly be good, to truly change the universe for the better. This is what it meant to be a _hero_.

He would have to have a few words with Stark about this, if he could get the man to forgive him. Though, if he could use the Infinity Gauntlet to kill, then surely he could use it to resurrect.

But that was for another time. Right now, it was time to restore Monika's world. So, Thanos used his imagination, snapped his fingers, and waited. Almost instantaneously, the empty field they were standing in faded into bits and pieces of binary. In it's place, the two found themselves standing in the literature club classroom once more. Monika dashed to the window, discovering that the nameless city she called home was here as it was before.

She turned to Thanos, and for the first time in a long time, she smiled genuinely. "Thank you, Thanos. I promise, I won't let you down."

Thanos bent down, giving his newfound friend a big hug. She accepted, feeling a genuine sense of hope for the first time in a long time.

"The others," Monika suddenly muttered. "Will. . . Will they remember?"

"They don't have to," Thanos said as he let her go. He gestured to his Infinity Gauntlet. "You can start afresh."

Monika waved her hand dismissively. "No, no. It's not right. It would be like lying to them. . . They deserve to know."

Thanos frowned. "Are you sure? I don't know how quick they would be to forgive."

Monika smiled, though it clearly consisted of a confusing concoction of sadness and resolve. "Yes. I don't want them to live in ignorance. If they know the truth, then maybe we can all work together to make a better world, right?"

Thanos nodded, finding wisdom in her words. "Then let them come."

He snapped his fingers once more, but the other girls did not materialize in front of them. Monika raised her eyebrows in slight confusion, but Thanos did not seem concerned in the slightest.

"They are all asleep in their beds," Thanos explained. "I would assume that you want time to compose a proper apology."

"That would be for the best," Monika sighed, both in relief and anxiety. "I just hope that I can prove to them that I regret my actions."

Thanos sat down in the desk next to her, gesturing for her to take another seat nearby. In all honesty, Thanos's gigantic frame in the tiny desk resembled an elephant on a tricycle, but Monika made no mention of this. Nevertheless, the goofiness of the situation lightened her mood by the tiniest of margins.

"Monika," Thanos began, his voice unusually calm and soothing. "You are a wonderful lady, and I am very thankful for meeting someone like you. I am sure your friends think the same. Maybe the road ahead will be somewhat uncertain, but I am certain that you will discover the forgiveness you are searching for."

Monika nodded. "OK. . . I believe you, you know that?"

"Of course."

Without warning, Thanos suddenly rose from his desk, staring back at the sunset one final time. "Well, I suppose I need to get going. I have a feeling that my own universe needs the same repairs."

Monika stood up, a pleading look in her eyes. "Do you have to leave so soon? You. . . You could join us for a meeting tomorrow. Natuski could make you cupcakes, and everythin-"

"Hush," Thanos commanded, but his voice was soft and calm. "I appreciate the offer, but I need to repair my own relationships with humanity and beyond."

Monika eventually nodded, accepting this truth, however harsh it may have seemed. "Well, the offer stands if you change your mind, OK?"

Thanos turned to her one last time, a sly grin on his face. "I never said no, Monika."

And that was enough for Monika's frown to morph into a wide grin. "Well, I guess this is goodbye. Good luck out there, Thanos."

"The same to you, little one."

And with those words, Thanos snapped his fingers and vanished into thin air. Monika found herself alone once more. However, the emptiness within her was gone, replaced instead with a sense of purpose for the first time in her brief existence. She walked gracefully toward the window, noticing that the sun had set. However, the oranges, purples, and pinks still danced gracefully in the sky, as if some grand cosmic artist had personally painted this image of hope just for her.

Swallowing her fears, she brandished her pen.


End file.
